About the Founder:
Lorraine (Lori) Lawler is the founder and owner of Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America. She has been a health and fitness consultant in the Houston area for over 20 years. She has an extensive knowledge in human anatomy, physiology, and natural ability to teach this information to the layperson. She is very passionate about assisting others with improving their quality of life through wellness. She built up a client base of over 300 people.
Ms. Lawler grew up in New Jersey in a traditional middle class family. Despite the appearance, Ms. Lawler’s home life was unhappy, volatile, and she was subjected to parental sexual abuse. As a young child her mother would take Ms. Lawler to church and be involved with youth activities. That was the positive aspect of her life outside the chaos at home.
Ms. Lawler attended the State University of New York and received a Bachelors of Science degree in Health Science with a specialization in exercise physiology. She began working for the Houstonian Hotel and Fitness Center after college. Within one year she opened her own gym and it had instant success. Despite all her accomplishments, Ms. Lawler was trying to escape the damage of her childhood through drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and promiscuity. Later, she encountered a downturn in her life and had to re-evaluate her purpose and sought to reconnect with God.
Ms. Lawler’s journey has made her passionate about impacting the sad statistics of today’s youth. She desires to create a program that not only addresses obesity and overweight youth but also assist with healing from past abuse (physical, mental, and sexual). Ms. Lawler’s personal testimony tells a story of how a damaged childhood can result in reckless and dangerous behaviors in adulthood. Her relationship with the Lord and studying His Word healed her from the pain, anger and shame of the past. She wants to give children a stable, fun environment that is free from peer pressure, stress of home life, and obscene entertainment (e.g. television program, Internet, video games).
About the Organization:
Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America is a multi-service youth center that services children up to age 18. The services include, but not limited to, health activities, tutorial programs, special events (e.g. plays, concerts, and presentations), educational programs (e.g. financial, nutrition, and social skills), character development training, and spiritual enrichment. The organization will attract, equip, and strengthen the children’s “can-do” attitude through fun activities. One of the objectives of Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America is to receive the Word of God through reading, hearing, and speaking it.
The facility will be equipped with indoor and outdoor playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and soccer fields; a children’s fitness center, gymnasium, a large stage theater for movies, climbing walls, rope courses, a café, classrooms (tutorials, study room, cooking classes, bible study, skills training, and computer lab), gift shop, a lounge, and a chapel. The staff and volunteers of the facility will consist of parents, grandparents, young adults, youth ministers, youth workers, and people with expertise in specific programs that are offered by the club.
Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America will operate by individual donations, sliding scale membership fees that are based on household income, grants, and product sales from the retail shop (in the club and online). Every new member will complete a questionnaire that will assess the youth’s home life, school grades, health status, preexisting health conditions, and self-perception. Follow-up questionnaires will be administered to evaluate the youth’s progress.
Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America will meet the requirements and comply with federal and state regulations concerning children, staff, volunteers, and parents. The parents and youth will sign release and consent forms. There will be background checks conducted on all staff and volunteers. Also, there will be cameras and security guards on the premises.
Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America intends on securing a location for the facility that is central to the major school districts in Southwest Houston. The organization plans on having vans to pick up the youth from school and transport them to the facility. Car pools will be organized by parents to transport children to the facility during the holidays and summer months. Mountaintop Youth Clubs of America will partner with local churches for charitable use of their vans.
